The University of Texas at Austin (UT) was named a Public Ivy meaning that you can get a very good education at a public university. From my experience at UT, I believe that the title is well deserved. I am currently enrolled in the Cockrell School of Engineering, and I can tell you for sure that the faculty, staff, and resources here at the school are top-notch (My basis for comparison largely comes from my experience at the University of North Texas).
Of course, there are always those more general classes, also known as 'freshmen' courses, that are sometimes not always so great. Because the classes are so big for these courses, I think there is more of a disconnect between the students and teachers, but that's my opinion on it. These courses are the only reason why I have deducted a star from learning, but in the end as you get further along in your major, the professors do become a lot better.
Do you enjoy the experience at your school?
I come from the DFW area, so by comparison, Austin as a city, is a lot smaller. With that being said, Austin is still a very nice city that has many great places that college students can go to.
As for the school, the classmates that I have had interaction with are very friendly and helpful, though I must admit I have really only met a very small fraction of the school population (there are over 50,000 students enrolled; the school population itself is like the population of a small town!).
There are cafeterias around campus, but I rarely eat at them because there are restaurants on a street that students call the Drag that take BevoBucks. If you decide to go with a meal plan, which you need in order to get into the cafeterias conveniently, then you need to know that all it really is a down payment that's used as a type of debit card, only for food. So, in my opinion, there really is no need to get a meal plan because in the end, if you don't use it all, then it's gone after the next semester.
Now something that does bother me a little bit about the campus is that on the outskirts, there are quite a few homeless people. For me, coming from the suburbs of the DFW area, I have never really gotten used to seeing beggars on the street corners. By no means are they mean, it's just very disconcerting seeing them. (They usually aren't on the actual campus, but they do stay on the street corners that are fairly close, so you'll see them coming to school or walking around downtown)
Do you feel you’re getting value for the money you’re spending on college?
I actually applied for the more expensive private universities as well to keep my options open, but in the end, one of the main reasons that I decided to choose UT Austin was because of money. I had a college savings account, but since that was based on the stock markets, well, you can imagine how much I had left. (However, if you are an out of state student, the tuition can be just as high as private universities, around three times higher than what in-state students pay for tuition)
But even though my tuition was fairly low, the number of resources available to the students is incredible. The university has a ton of cool speaker events and also extremely good facilities, such as libraries and gyms. For me, UT Austin is well worth the money that I pay.
Do you have any tips for prospective students?
Well, first off, use the resources that the university offers! You pay to go to the school, so use as much as you can. There are study abroad advising, career centers, libraries, academic counseling, recreation centers, and more. I see many students who don't take advantage of the resources that they pay for, and these things can very well help you get a job in the future and also make your life a lot easier!
Also, don't be afraid to ask your professors for help. Go to their office hours and whatever tutorial sessions that the teaching assistants or professors have; most of them are very, very helpful. In the end, if you're on the border-line for a certain grade, and the professor saw that you were trying by doing all the above things, you will find that most professors are very sympathetic and will sometimes give you a little bump. However, if you didn't really try in their class, of course they won't be as understanding.
UT Austin is also known as a party school. College is perhaps one of the best times of your life, but take it from me that you don't want to party even one semester away because that will hurt, a lot, in the long run. There's nothing wrong with having fun! Not at all! But do things in moderation, and you will have an absolutely great time.
And one of the important things is to be smart! What I mean by this is that UT Austin is a big school, and when you have a large group of people, crime is bound to happen. Don't leave your stuff unattended. If you bring your bike to school, make sure you lock it up with either a really good lock, or two locks. If you bring your car to school (I wouldn't bring any type of nice car personally, i.e. BMW, Mercedes, etc.), don't leave anything interesting lying out or else it will be broken into. It's always better to be safe than have something happen to you.
Which types of students will excel at your college?
For some people, the sheer size of the university can be daunting, and for others it can be exciting. Because UT Austin isn't a small school, the students that absolutely love small schools will definitely not like it here.
Another thing to note is that UT is smack in the middle of downtown Austin, so for the students that are seeking a more rural look, this is going to be a disappointment. But for those who love city life, Austin would be a great place.
In the end, if you're unsure, stop by and visit the campus. Take a tour, and you will probably have a clearer idea of whether or not this is the right school for you or not, because in the end you want a school that makes you happy and if it doesn't, then the college experience won't be as great as it should.
The University of Texas at Austin (UT) was named a Public Ivy meaning that you can get a very good education at a public university. From my experience at UT, I believe that the title is well deserved. I am currently enrolled in the Cockrell School of Engineering, and I can tell you for sure that the faculty, staff, and resources here at the school are top-notch (My basis for comparison largely comes from my experience at the University of North Texas). Of course, there are always those more general classes, also known as 'freshmen' courses, that are sometimes not always so great. Because the classes are so big for these courses, I think there is more of a disconnect between the students and teachers, but that's my opinion on it. These courses are the only reason why I have deducted a star from learning, but in the end as you get further along in your major, the professors do become a lot better.
I come from the DFW area, so by comparison, Austin as a city, is a lot smaller. With that being said, Austin is still a very nice city that has many great places that college students can go to. As for the school, the classmates that I have had interaction with are very friendly and helpful, though I must admit I have really only met a very small fraction of the school population (there are over 50,000 students enrolled; the school population itself is like the population of a small town!). There are cafeterias around campus, but I rarely eat at them because there are restaurants on a street that students call the Drag that take BevoBucks. If you decide to go with a meal plan, which you need in order to get into the cafeterias conveniently, then you need to know that all it really is a down payment that's used as a type of debit card, only for food. So, in my opinion, there really is no need to get a meal plan because in the end, if you don't use it all, then it's gone after the next semester. Now something that does bother me a little bit about the campus is that on the outskirts, there are quite a few homeless people. For me, coming from the suburbs of the DFW area, I have never really gotten used to seeing beggars on the street corners. By no means are they mean, it's just very disconcerting seeing them. (They usually aren't on the actual campus, but they do stay on the street corners that are fairly close, so you'll see them coming to school or walking around downtown)
I actually applied for the more expensive private universities as well to keep my options open, but in the end, one of the main reasons that I decided to choose UT Austin was because of money. I had a college savings account, but since that was based on the stock markets, well, you can imagine how much I had left. (However, if you are an out of state student, the tuition can be just as high as private universities, around three times higher than what in-state students pay for tuition) But even though my tuition was fairly low, the number of resources available to the students is incredible. The university has a ton of cool speaker events and also extremely good facilities, such as libraries and gyms. For me, UT Austin is well worth the money that I pay.
Well, first off, use the resources that the university offers! You pay to go to the school, so use as much as you can. There are study abroad advising, career centers, libraries, academic counseling, recreation centers, and more. I see many students who don't take advantage of the resources that they pay for, and these things can very well help you get a job in the future and also make your life a lot easier! Also, don't be afraid to ask your professors for help. Go to their office hours and whatever tutorial sessions that the teaching assistants or professors have; most of them are very, very helpful. In the end, if you're on the border-line for a certain grade, and the professor saw that you were trying by doing all the above things, you will find that most professors are very sympathetic and will sometimes give you a little bump. However, if you didn't really try in their class, of course they won't be as understanding. UT Austin is also known as a party school. College is perhaps one of the best times of your life, but take it from me that you don't want to party even one semester away because that will hurt, a lot, in the long run. There's nothing wrong with having fun! Not at all! But do things in moderation, and you will have an absolutely great time. And one of the important things is to be smart! What I mean by this is that UT Austin is a big school, and when you have a large group of people, crime is bound to happen. Don't leave your stuff unattended. If you bring your bike to school, make sure you lock it up with either a really good lock, or two locks. If you bring your car to school (I wouldn't bring any type of nice car personally, i.e. BMW, Mercedes, etc.), don't leave anything interesting lying out or else it will be broken into. It's always better to be safe than have something happen to you.
For some people, the sheer size of the university can be daunting, and for others it can be exciting. Because UT Austin isn't a small school, the students that absolutely love small schools will definitely not like it here. Another thing to note is that UT is smack in the middle of downtown Austin, so for the students that are seeking a more rural look, this is going to be a disappointment. But for those who love city life, Austin would be a great place. In the end, if you're unsure, stop by and visit the campus. Take a tour, and you will probably have a clearer idea of whether or not this is the right school for you or not, because in the end you want a school that makes you happy and if it doesn't, then the college experience won't be as great as it should.